We advise that training is very important to ensure the best possible language documentation or revitalization outcomes. A number of the training programs discussed on this site have been developed with a focus on the needs and goals of community language activists.

Advice and/or professional assistance from linguists can assist in the success of your project.

If you are working with a group or as part of a language community, it's important to be very clear about your goals (see the question on "How can I set up a language program?"). You might start by brainstorming ideas.

Here are some possible projects:

making recordings of language speakers

writing new songs in the language

making resources (e.g. story books, animations, a wordlist)

language awareness classes (building general knowledge about the language and languages to which it is related)

language learning classes

publishing (e.g. comics, novels, newspapers)

Think about the following practical issues:

Where will it be held?

How often will it happen (once, regularly?)?

Who are we aiming this towards?

Who is the target audience?

What materials do we need to develop?

Who will do this and how?

Where can we look for funding?

Think about the following personnel issues:

Who needs to be involved in the different language activities?

What kinds of people do we need to work with?

Do we need a language speaker or language teacher? Where can we find one?

Do we need a linguist? What tasks might a linguist help us with? Where can we find one?

What might their roles be?

What other people can help us learn more about our language and culture? For example: other people who may not be language speakers, but who have lived or studied in the community